It is never fun playing plan games with wireless carriers, especially if you have been 100% satisfied with everything "as is." After switching to VirginMobileUSA last year due to a SUPER promotion, I could not be happier with Virgin’s special price and service … but all good things seem to come to an end. This […]

The new iPhone7 Plus is a bit too large for my taste at the moment, especially coming from the iPhone5. I like the speed and the bigger screen, but not the bulk, especially with the new protective case. So … I ordered thinner case (maybe too thin) that should be in this week, but since […]

Well so much for waiting for the new iPhone8 to arrive in the fall … as was the plan. On the other hand, the $1000 “rumored” price was frightening me anyway. Last week for a Tech Friday post I blogged on the VirginMobileUSA “Inner Circle” promo that offered unlimited talk, text and “almost” unlimited data […]

After years (30 years to be closer to the truth!!!) of comparing the best cellphones and carriers when it comes to device and service, I can finally say that I’m satisfied. Back in 2014, as our kids (and parents) moved on to their own plans, I switched our two iPhone5s to Ting. From day one […]

This months bill should be a interesting test for our Ting cellphone service. I will eventually add billing information to this post (below). With two iPhones on our account and a little more travel this past 4 week invoice, we used a few more minutes and megabytes than usual on our phones, but no matter, […]

Slowly but sure I’m corralling my carry and travel computing gadgets and getting a handle on wasteful monthly expenses associated with keeping them connected. Those who have followed my blog from a technology perspective have probably detected my economizing while still “trying” to remain in current century computing. This year our grown children are on […]

Since moving away from Sprint and finally down to two cellphones in the family …except for a couple of spare emergency “burner” phones (grin) –one with my overseas travel SIM and the other a Samsung Galaxy S2 total free wireless plan on Freedompop. The point is that we were able to travel comfortably with our […]

Ting.com sent out an email blast update letting interested potential customers know that the new “older” iPhone 5s and 5c will be supported on September 29, 2014. I’m still weighing leaving Sprint, but they aren’t doing much to keep their long time customers in their Framily.They change their plans, promos, CEOs and marketing slogans way […]

While waiting on the discount cellphone carrier Ting (my daughter’s referral) to welcome my Sprint-based iPhone 5s, I’m also weighing Sprint’s new promos (iPhone for life, etc). Since Ting is only approved as a month-to-month reseller for non-current iPhone models, switching to them requires waiting a few more days or weeks until my second-hand “s” […]

Most Recent Posts

Music Monday posts are usually a reflection of what I’m listening to at the moment; this week it is not. The older music video below was trigger after seeing Nicki Bluhm‘s name on a concert listing when… »

I had the best of intentions when heading down to the workshop in order to work on another small project for Annalyn, but once again I wandered off course — such is my nature. This time my productivity was halted… »

Last week while clearing off our bookshelves I came across a ticket to The Music Man from 18 years ago when my nephew Ben played the lead in his high school musical. It occurred to me that his birthday was this month… »

The Brydge keyboard attached to my aging iPad Air2, which I love, has been slowly causing me a few irritation when it come to getting a connection while charging. The tightly sealed aluminum clad keyboard was much… »

Winter is here as the ice came in the morning bringing down branches and knocking out power all around Cincinnati … and just when I thought it was over, the Dark Sky app indicates the heavy snow is beginning in… »

It is shocking just how much lint and dust can accumulate in the tiny holes and connectors of our smartphones. If you notice questionable connections and charging difficultly with your iPhone or Android phone your first… »

After Monday’s selloff (see below), what lies ahead for the U.S. economy? That thought has some of seriously thinking the next economic downturn could come sooner rather than as expected … later. The sell off… »

After posting on last weekend Rumours of Fleetwood Mac concert on Friday night for Saturday’s post, I realized the music related post would have made a great Music Monday post. Since part of being a VIP attendee… »

It has been 41 years since Fleetwood Mac released their ginormous selling album called Rumours which was a must have by college students like me in the late 1970s (45 million copies of Rumours has been sold). Brenda and… »

Having used a Brydge keyboard with an iPad from their first introduction, I can say that IF I were to update my current iPad Air2 to the 2018 just introduced iPad Pro that I would seriously consider waiting for the 2019… »

My brother Ron and his wife are making the most of his early retirement and sent me a few photos from their trip to Hawaii this week. That is one trip I’m glad we took with our kids when we seemed to be able to… »

The midterm election is finally over and those who are tired of pile of flyers in their mail, phone calls, email spam and still watching cable TV network stations are no doubt thankful that is the case. As for the… »

This year Brenda and I voted absentee … or by mail. I knew it was an important mid-term and wanted to be sure our votes counted, but do miss the feeling of standing in line with others and waiting my turn at the… »

It seems later in the season that usual to be just starting to rake leaves and get in a final mow before winter, but the weather was dry after a long stretch of rain, so chores for me it was. My back is now sore and… »

Americans are finally working again and the U.S. is once again the place for businesses to expand, hire, give raises and grow. For all the questionable rhetoric from the far right and left extremes … and yes, from… »

It is either a changing time with more parents concern for the safety of their children or we just live in a changing neighborhood? This was the first year we had ZERO trick or treaters for Halloween. While it is true… »

As the positive economy in the U.S. continues to grow America out of the "great recession" and rebound off the slow growth Obama years, we are seeing signs of inflation, hopefully just the right amount. Wages… »

Great tips and information are sent regularly by email from a handy Metal Supermarket franchise location. It has saved me a time or two with small projects where a particular piece of metal is needed. Check them out.… »

It is a favorite time of year for those who enjoy seeing the new product coming online from Apple. iPhones in September,new iPads and Apple Air notebooks this week and even a new Apple Mac Mini (used an older Mini for… »

With Rumours of Fleetwood Mac coming to Cincinnati, it is time to get in the mood by adding another one of their live YouTube hits to the blog. One wonders how long music will continue to be available on YouTube,… »

After Katelyn, Drew and Annalyn headed for home after our vacation together, there were a couple improvements that still needed to be done on the condo. Katelyn helped with deciding on the under cabinet kitchen LED… »

*Video: corbett oostra vacation in delray beach fl – oct 2018 All good things come to an end … but Brenda and I sure had a great time in Delray Beach FL with Katelyn, Drew and Annalyn. It was our first vacation… »

For those who watch the stock market, today was another one of those October trading days that can give one the willies. It was a reminder of the dreaded Octobers of the past and added to the steepest indices October… »

Although Cincinnati Reds baseball has been enjoyable all year long for me despite their weak season, my heart just hasn’t been in postseason MLB this year. Tonight (Tuesday, October 23, 2018) begins game one of… »

In 2016 my friend Jeff gave me his old grill as I finally gave up on our well loved and well used old aluminum shell grill. His was a 4 burner Charbroil propane model that I was able to cleaned up, converted to natural… »

Earlier in October, as well as mid summer, I’ve been trying to get a better nighttime view of the International Space Station (ISS) passing over our house. It has been tracking overhead for the last few weeks an… »

For years I’ve known the odd hood ornament on my dad’s Packard Hawk (above) was not accurate or something that was original to the car, but had no idea where it came from? Last week after an online chat… »

There was a time we winced at dentistry pre-20th century (some still do today), but imagine going to an Egyptian dentist back in 2000BC or there about? Yikes! "Egyptians were very comfortable with and knowledgeable… »

While sharpening my chisels and practicing my hand-cut joinery last weekend, I remembered that I added a "new to me" wood chisel to my tool roll when sorting tools from my late father-in-law’s barn. It… »

As a business news junkie, I’ve been watching Fox Business since I "demanded it" (as Neil Cavuto would tell viewers in the early days of the expansion Fox network). They have steadily grown and have… »

A friend from a Facebook group posted a 1982 Mercedes Benz advertisement with a W123 beauty – I thought it looked pretty close to my ‘82 MB 300D Turbodiesel. Nice! When the W123 went out of production in… »

Q: Why am I not surprised to see U.S. stocks extend Wednesday’s ugly losses with more selling on Thursday? A: Because it is October! Well because the talking heads that “I listen to” point out just how… »

With the stock market tumble on Wednesday and Hurricane Michael ravaging Florida’s Panhandle, I was in the mood to post something positive … but what? Dow Industrials plunge more than 800 points, Nasdaq… »

The new low cost Wyze Cam Pan that I bought to put in the Delray Beach Condo arrived this past weekend and so opted to set it up temporarily at home. So far so good with the image and impressive panning control with… »

Each year about this time, rodents and varmints are looking at our garage and house as a place to call home when the weather cools. So I’m usually trying to stay ahead of them by sealing up and keeping the garage… »

As we watch the Brett Kavanaugh hearing play out in the political circus that has become Washington DC politics, some Americans have lost sight that there are actual people and lives at the center of these hearings.… »

The Amazon Echo has been a fun gadget to use and have in our home since Katelyn and Drew gave it to us for Christmas. After having our granddaughter Annalyn with us for a few days last week, I realized we don’t… »

If you use your battery powered drills as much as I do and are suffering with something a bit older than a couple of years, it is time to check out the new lithium powered tools. I can’t tell you how pleased I am… »